There is an understanding in Hollywood that if they don’t like your film at Cannes, you’ll know, which is exactly what happened yesterday with Nicolas Winding Refn’s latest flick Only God Forgives. The film stars Ryan Gosling with Refn in the director’s seat – a promising combination, considering that their last team project (Drive) nabbed the Best Director award at the festival. Only God Forgives, however, probably isn’t going to reach the same acclaim, at least not if the audience of journalists, movie critics and assorted insiders is any indication.

Once again, Gosling has been type-cast as the strong, silent character.

According to Vulture’s Kyle Buchanan, the movie has ample amounts of blood and guts, properly amplified by the eye-popping red lighting that’s meant to signify Bangkok’s seediest neighbourhoods. What it doesn’t have though is the subtlety and tender moments, necessary to balance out the gore. Gosling’s performance is once ago according to type – the strong silent type, who is bullied by his terrible mother into avenging the death of his even more terrible brother.

Apparently, Refn is a fan of the "buckets of blood" approach.

What most of the critics seem to agree on is that said mother, played brilliantly by Kristin Scott Thomas, is a brilliantly terrifying character and perfectly explains all of Julian’s (Ryan Gosling) mommy issues. So there you have it – Palm d’Or material it probably isn’t, but if you’re a fan of the gory revenge flick, which can definitely count as a genre all on its own, then Only God Forgives might be for you.